Hotel Trades Council political director Megan Wiley testifies

Awesome.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, Chairs Maloney and Thomas Henry.

My name is Megan Wiley, and I am the political director of the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, which represents nearly 40,000 hospitality workers across New York and northern New Jersey.

I'm here to speak about the vital role our city's union, hotel workers, played in making the 2026 World Cup a success and what that success shows about not compromising workers'rights in the name of corporate interests.

Our union hotel workers were on the front lines this summer, welcoming more than 1.2 million visitors from around the world and providing the world-class service that New York is known for.

It is because of that hard work and dedication that the region was able to realize a $3.3 billion economic impact, surpassing expectations by $200 million.

Direct spending on accommodations amounted to more than $650 million, 20% of the total impact, and nearly 40% of all direct spending.

Hotels performed outstandingly during the World Cup, and the role that our hospitality workers played in this success cannot be understated.

Behind all those economic numbers are workers who serve their city while securing a new contract.

Our previous industry-wide agreement was set to expire after more than a decade on June 30th, right?

Had we failed to reach an agreement, nearly 30,000 hospitality workers at more than 250 hotels across New York City were prepared to walk off the job.

Our members spent years preparing for that moment, and just weeks before the first kickoff, they successfully ratified a new life-changing eight-year agreement.

Over the life of that contract, average wages will increase by more than 50% while maintaining

fully employer-paid family health care, and increasing pension contributions.

The agreement also provides new employer-funded housing and child care benefits, more paid time off, stronger job protections, and other improvements to working conditions.

These are historic gains for hardworking New Yorkers, and most significantly, New York did not have to choose between good jobs and economic growth.

On top of the regulations outlined in our contract, HTC has also fought for policies that protect consumers and improve the quality of New York's hospitality industry.

The Safe Hotels Act requires hotels to train staff to identify human trafficking and meet clear health and safety standards, while rules around service disruptions and bans on junk fees help ensure guests are not misled by bad actors.

These policies benefit workers, consumers, and the city's tourism economy at the same time.

We did not have to lower wages, weaken labor standards, or ask workers or communities to sacrifice so that businesses could benefit from the World Cup for just a few weeks.

This summer showed that we can attract millions of visitors, generate billions in economic activity, and support a thriving tourism industry while also raising wages and strengthening standards for working people.

We thank the mayor's office, the city council, and the host committee for recognizing the importance of ensuring that workers who make this type of economic activity possible can

afford to live in the city, support their families, and build a future here.

We urge you to keep this model in mind for the future events like this, and we ensure that workers continue to share in the success of our economy.

Thank you.